The Uncharted 4 Multiplayer Beta is now live on PS4, and we’ve not had the best of times with Naughty Dog’s taster, managing to get into just a handful of games. Seems that everyone and their mother is trying to give this one a go, doesn’t it?
Thankfully, then, there is an introduction that you can play without the need for other people, so we’ve given that a whirl in between getting our arses handed to us by suspiciously good players. Here’s what we’ve learned.
Yes, You Can Remote Play Uncharted 4’s Beta (But It’s Crap)
Most betas don’t allow for PS Vita remote play, which is a shame really as it’s always good to get a grip on how the game will handle when you’ve been shunned off the telly so Dr. House can limp around barking his crazy, experimental doctoring methods.
Unfortunately, while available, Uncharted 4’s remote play performance is a little bit poo. Not that it doesn’t work (it does) but the controls are horrid. We’ve lamented in the past our disdain for the rear touchpad being used for aiming and shooting in games, and we’re once again throwing our dummies out the pram with Uncharted 4. It should be noted that the control scheme may not be final; it is a beta after all, and things will differ from the final release come March 18th, 2016.
900p vs 1080: Not a Big Deal, Really
It’s common place these days for fanboys and fangirls to take every opportunity to throw some hate at the Xbox One whenever it’s found that a game runs at a resolution that’s lower than 1920×1080. It’s pathetic, and quite frankly, it’s bloody childish. When it came to light that Uncharted 4’s multiplayer would be targeting 60fps at a 900p, those same people were quick to defend the decision. Hypocritical? Definitely.
However, after giving the beta a run around for a bit, we’ve come to the conclusion that the image quality is just fine. Christ, it could be 720p and we’d still be happy with it. The big news is that it’s not full 1080p HD, but it’s serviceable. and we’ve definitely seen a lot worse in our gaming careers. What have we learned? Resolution doesn’t matter, so stop being silly about it. [Correction: There was a minor mistake here that said that we’d be happier if the game ran at 60fps. This was a daft error that was corrected quickly. Apologies. Someone’s getting a whipping, don’t worry about that.]
The Shooting is Very Nice, Very Nice Indeed
One aspect of the Uncharted series that’s always been criticised is its shooting. Even in our review of Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection it was pointed out that the gun play just isn’t up to scratch. It’s a relief to write, then, that Uncharted 4 seems to be on the right track for satisfying gunplay.
It’s a Good Looking Game, But Drake’s “Next-Gen” Chest Hair is Nowhere to Be Seen
We’ve only been staring at Uncharted 4 for about 42 minutes, but in that time we’ve become quite fond of the graphical qualities found within Naughty Dog’s game. Again, it’s just the beta so not everything is final, but the colour palette is pleasing to the eye and the overall presentation oozes next-gen. But what about Nathan Drake’s “next-gen” chest hair, that supposedly breezes in the wind? Yeah, that’s a big fat pile of BS: It’s not there. Lesson learned? Don’t fall for the hype – it’s designed to do nothing more than trick you into visiting a website.
The “Magic” Stuff is Really Cool
When the first Uncharted 4 multiplayer trailer was released, it showed a good bit of action as well as some “magical” elements that seemed a little odd and out of place. We’ve given them a go during the beta and we’re happy to say they’re not as weird as they first seemed. Calling in some backup from thin-air is a satisfying way to turn the tables on an uneven fight. Not bad at all.
We definitely recommend giving this one a go if you have the chance. It’s alright for a bit of a laugh and it’s free, so why not? We’ll have some more gameplay videos, screenshots and later impressions once we’ve had a bit more time with the beta. For now, have a gander at the gallery of images below, and the videos embedded.
Have you tried out the Uncharted 4 beta? Are you struggling to get into a game, or is it all plain sailing for you? What are your thoughts on it? Let us know down in the comments section below.
